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Aviation History
1996
1996 - 1366.PDF
HEADLINED Japanese make joint approach to Boeing for747-Xworkshare FIVE OF JAPAN'S principal aerospace manufacturers have joined forces to approach Boeing for a share in developing the pro posed growth 747-500/600X. The companies are Japan's three "heavy industries" — Fuji, Kawa saki and Mitsubishi — together with ShinMaywa Industries and the smaller Japan Aircraft Manu facturing, or Nippi. Boeing is reported to be taking a "positive attitude" towards their proposal. Anyjapanese involvement in the project would be likely to be mod elled on its participation in the Boeing 777 programme, with the support of funding from the Government's Ministry of Inter national Trade and Industry. All five companies are members of Japan Aircraft Development (JADC), which, as a partner suppli er, has a 20.8% share of the 777's structure. JADC, and the Civil Transport Development before it, has also produced 15% of the Boeing 767's airframe since 1978. Each of the three heavy indus tries contributes to the existing 747-400. Mitsubishi supplies the inboard trailing edge and main- landing-gear door actuator, Kawa saki its outboard trailing-edge flap and Fuji the spoilers and ailerons. Japan is viewed as an important contributor to Boeing's pro grammes and its airlines are viewed as potential launch customers for the 747-500/600X. Japan Airlines, with its heavy dependence on long- range international traffic and high-density domestic routes, is particularly interested in the pro posed stretched -600X. The airline, the world's largest 747 operator, is understood to be discussing the conversion of 18 out standing 747-400 orders to the planned new higher-capacity ver sion. Although Boeing added these aircraft to its official backlog onlyin December 1995, they are not included in JAL's planning for the next two to three years. Industry sources suggest that the -600 could be used to replace 563 -seat 747s on high-density routes from Tokyo to Sapporo or Fukuoka and some of the 70 weekly flights to Hawaii. • Dassault/Aerospatiale marriage moves closer JULIAN MOXON/PARIS THE FRAMEWORK for Dassault Aviation's merger with Aerospatiale could be put in place within a matter of weeks, say sources close to the negotiations. A meeting on 5 June between the French president Jacques Chirac and the German chancellor Hel mut Kohl has emerged as an impor tant focus for agreement on the merger of the two companies. A deal would clear the way for more meaningful discussion about the future shape of the Franco-Ger man defence industry, since it would also include decisions about the privatisation of Aerospatiale. Although the merger was de manded by Chirac earlier this year, it met initial resistance from Dassault Aviation president Serge Dassault. He is finally becoming reconciled to the merger, however, according to an industry insider. Not only has Chirac threatened recently to nationalise Dassault Aviation if the company refuses to soften its stance on a tie-up, but Dassault himself has been weak ened by accusations by the Belgian Government of corruption over a deal to supply electronic-warfare equipment for Belgian Lockheed Martin F-16s (Flight International, 15-21 May, P5). Under the terms of the expected deal, an entity similar to the state- owned Sogepa holding company, which controls 45.76% of Dassault Aviation and 100% of Aerospatiale, would become the initial vehicle for the effective take-over of Dassault Aviation, and then for the privatisa tion of part or all of the resulting entity. Disagreements over the value of Dassault Aviation have proved a major sticking point, but those close to the talks believe that a solution can be worked out. "To fail would be a disaster for the French aerospace industry," adds one senior source. One suggested remedy is to allow the Dassault family to retain a controlling 51 % stake in the new entity in return for ceding effective management-control of the group to a new management board, re porting to the state parent. The composition of the board has yet to be defined, but it would be presided over by someone "close to the industry". • See Business Analysis, PI 8. X-33 partnership splits up BOEING HAS SEVERED its partnership with McDonnell Douglas on the NASAX-3 3 single- stage-to-orbit re-useable launch vehicle (RLV) just as the space agency is ready to select one of three contestants for continued research-and-development efforts. By 1 July, NASA is due to pick only one industry team to design, manufacture and flight test an X- 3 3 RLV demonstrator, under Phase II of the R&D programme. Pro duction of a small fleet of full-scale RLVs would begin in 1999. They would be used for Space Station resupply missions and deployment ofsatellites. Boeing appears to be hedging its bets on the eventual outcome of the selection, saying that it is now free to offer subcontracting services to whichever company eventually em erges as Phase II winner. "We have expertise we can offer the Phase II winner, which may or may not be McDonnell Douglas [MDC]," says Boeing. Three teams were selected early Boeing leaves McDonnell Douglas on the RLV launchpad in 1995 to define concepts for an RLV to replace the Space Shuttle. They included MDC/Boeing with a vertical-launch/vertical-landing vehicle derived from the Delta Clipper-Experimental (DC-X) tech nology demonstrator developed for the US Department of Defense. Rockwell is offering a vertical- launch/horizontal-landing wing body, and the Lockheed Martin-led team's VentureStar combines wing less lifting-body flight and linear- aerospike rocket propulsion in providing vertical take-off and hor izontal, unpowered, landing. • 6 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 5 - 11 June 1996
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